The Technological Advances of Golf
The wonderful game of golf has transformed from the game for the privileged to a
game every one everyone of all ages, sizes, genders, etc.comma can play and enjoy.
Since the creation of the game, at St. Andrews in 1552, many technological advances
have occurred over time, due to the vast popularity of the game. Some of the many
advances include golf clubs, golf balls, equipment, and course maintenance. Although
there are many technological advances that have occurred, the most obvious
improvements can be seen in golf clubs and golf balls.
The advancement of the golf club has come a long way since the beginning of the
game. From the usual irons, woods, and putter came other clubs, such as the metal wood
or the hybrid. The original golf clubs, mainly irons, were made of natural materials.
More specifically, “club heads were made from beech or the wood of fruit trees such as
apple. Shafts were usually ash or hazel” (Golf Europe). Eventually club heads were
made from hand-forged iron, which were massed produced in factories. However, the
most significant change to golf clubs was from the grooves on the face of the club, which
we still use today (Home). Another change that has helped improve the golf club is the
introduction of steel shafts, which is are a lot sturdier than ash or hazel.
With the many advances to the golf club the one particular club that has been
drastically improved is the iron, which ranges from a 2-iron to a lob wedge. Well, you
can order a 1-iorn and an X wedge (64 degrees or more). The variety of iron types,
each different in use, allow golfers to select irons according to the golfersapostrophe
skill level. The various types of irons include blades, cavity-back, cast, and forged. To
start with is the blade iron. “A blade iron offers a smaller hitting surface and a thin top-
line (portion of the club head viewed at address). It also has more mass behind the middle
of the club head, sometimes called a "muscle-back," that gives a very soft feeling when
hit properly” (Golf Joy). This particular type of iron is used by highly skilled golfers like
the professionals in the PGA. In contrast, the cavity-back type iron is considered to be
the easiest-hitting iron comma according to golfjoy.com. The term cavity-back refers to
the extra weight around the outside edges, which will produce a much larger sweet spot.
As for the difference between cast and forged ironscomma there really is none except for
the process in which they are made. Forging involves hammering and shaping methods
to produce the club head. Where as Whereas, casting uses a mold in which metal is
poured in, no comma to create the club head. Although casting costs less money to
produce and manufacture, “forging is not likely to disappear because many golfers
believe it offers better feel and ball ‘workability’” (Golf Joy). Also comma technology
has improved in making forged irons so that costs are as minimal as possible, which
persuaded manufacturers to offer forged cavity-back designs.
The Driver has also seen a drastic change over time. “Years ago, golfers played
with persimmon and laminated woods” (Learn about Golf). These particular drivers were
exceptionally useful, when struck properly. However, it was also more common to hook
or slice the ball. With much research, manufactures found that drivers made out of
titanium were more reliable, and addsing greater distances from the tee. Without this
change, you imply that reliability increases distance. Another benefit to titanium
drivers is that they are more durable than its pervious material. With the highly popular
new material, the manufacturers also discovered that increasing the size of the club head
and shaft length will contribute to the already added distance off of the tee. This is
because “a bigger club head doesn't twist as much on off-center hits comma and a longer
shaft translates into a bigger swing arc” (Learn about Golf). This is how the driver
technology has changed over time.
As the many technological advances to these clubs continued to grow, a new type
of club was created, the hybrid. “Perhaps descendants of the original hollow iron
designs, these clubs are used from the tee, fairway and rough” (Golf Joy). With this new
type of club many golfers have found it easier to hit from any lie and is seen to be a
break-through improvement to the more difficult long irons. Its astonishing popularity is
“available in a variety of loftsperiod” (Golf Joy). I don’t remember whether you have
hybrids in your new set. I keep hearing from golfers about how much easier they
are to hit. I must give them a serious trial, myself.
The last type of club, although considered an iron, is the wedge. The numerous
lofts of these wedges can be categorized into pitching, gap, sand, and lob, each with its
own range of lofts. The pitching wedges apostrophe range of loft is typically forty five
to forty nine degrees and is used for approaching the hole from longer distances with the
smallest amount of bounce. The gap wedges apostrophe, also know as attack or dual
wedge (also called “approach” or “utility”), range of loft is typically forty nine to fifty
four degrees and is used when dividing the gap between the pitching and sand wedge.
The sand wedge, which is the most unique of all the unusual wedges, “unique” means
“one of a kind.” There are no degrees of uniqueness; either it’s unique, or it isn’t.
has a range of loft between fifty four to fifty seven degrees. The reason why that the
sand wedge is so unique is due to that it has s an oval club face and wider sole, which in
turn reduces any possible risks of digging. It also has the highest bounce amongst all of
the wedges. Last but not least is the lob wedge, also known as the finesse or touch
wedge. The reason for this is because that the type of shot used for this club would only
require a very short distance to reach the green. This wedge has the highest range of loft
from fifty seven or higher and has a minimal bounce or no bounce at all. “One reason
many players like this club is because it allows a full, unimpeded swing to cover a short
distance, rather than making you rely on an abbreviated swing, thus the ball flies short
and high with this club” (Golf Joy). All of these types of wedges have gone through the
same technological advances as the irons.
With the rapid increase of improving the golf club, the same can also be said
about the golf ball. The very first form of the golf ball was made of leather and filled
with feathers. The construction of this ball was extremely time consuming and was very
expensive. This version of the golf ball was believed to be used for four centuries. The
second form of the golf ball is known as the “Gutta” ball. It was made from gutta-percha
packing material, which is “the evaporated milky juice or latex produced from a tree most
commonly found in Malaysia” (Design Shop). Once at boiling temperature, the material
becomes soft and impressible from its hard and non-brittle texture. After the introduction
of the gutta ball followed the hammered gutta, this eventually proved to have a truer
flight than the original model. This version of the gutta ball was created by hammering
the smooth surface with a sharp hammer and was later formed through molds. It was
from this version of the golf ball emerged the bramble pattern, which was similar to the
berry. This particular pattern became the most popular of the gutta ball era. Subsequent
to the gutta ball era came the rubber golf ball, created by Coburn Haskell. “The ball
featured rubber thread wound around a solid rubber core. Early gutta-percha gave way to
the Balata cover that was developed in the early 1900’s. The popular brambles, mesh,
reverse mesh, and a great many other patterns gradually gave way to the aerodynamically
superior dimple pattern first used in 1908. Because of the lack of standards, there were
many deviations in ball size and weight” (Design Shop). After this break-through, golf
balls followed became the modern balls we use today. It was this golf ball that the
USGA set a standard regulation by weight and size for the golf ball. “The maximum
weight for a golf ball is 1.620 oz. and a diameter not to be less than 1.680 in” (Design
Shop). Until 1989 the British used a smaller ball. Along with this regulation was the
maximum velocity of 250 feet per second. This shows how the remarkable technological
advances in the modern golf ball have helped golfers in many ways.
The vast effort to advance the technology of the game of golf has come a long
way, from golf clubs to golf balls. Has the “effort” come a long way, or has the
“technology”? With out Without these efforts the game of golf would not be where it is
at today. The game of golf strives The “game” cannot strive; the “people who work in
the technology sector of the golf industry” do the striving. to ensure that it can be
enjoyed by everyone all over the world.
Works Cited
“A History of Golf since 1497.” Golf Europe. 30 Oct. 2006.
<http://www.golfeurope.com/almanac/history/history1.htm>.
“Golf Ball and Golf History.” The Design Shop. 30 Oct. 2006.
<http://www.thedesignshop.com/history.htm>.
Learn About Golf. 30 Oct. 2006.
<http://www.learnaboutgolf.com/equipment/driver.html>.
Nicholls, David. “The History of the Golf Club.” 1998. 30 Oct. 2006.
<http://www.home.aone.net.au/~byzantium/golf/ghistory.html>.
“Overview of Golf Clubs.” Golf Joy. 30 Oct. 2006.
<http://www.golfjoy.com/golf_physics/overview.asp>.
Good paper. Excellent topic. Not in compliance with format
instructions. Short!